Saturday, February 26, 2011

When I was pregnant with Big Sister E, one of the things that I quickly noticed when shopping for baby gear is that there is just so much of it. From large to small items to products that are seemingly outgrown in a week to those that last throughout childhood... it's hard to know where to even begin.

Fortunately, I also discovered that there are some companies that I can relate to because they seem to have standards that are a little higher than others. Instead of just being useful, they want their products to withstand daily use and show no wear and tear. Instead of raising the price when the quality goes up, they work to keep things affordable.

So, when I was introduced to Snazzy Baby, right away I was glad to see that they focus on the combination of three important factors - quality, value and function - and that their award-winning products are ones that have been universally praised by parents and the juvenile gear industry alike.

Since having been founded in Australia in 2003, the Snazzy Baby name has been synonymous with the hottest and most innovative baby protection products for new parents across the world... and, when they arrived here, I could see that they would still be beneficial for my kids even though we were past the "baby" stage.

First up, the Snazzy Baby Knee pads. Even though these sounded great when I read about their ability to be used indoors or outdoors and on all floor surfaces to protect from sore knees, bruies and rug burn, my initial thought that these weren't something that we would use with two children that no longer crawl (although, wow, these would be great for little ones who move or are learning to move on their knees).

But then I saw the note from Snazzy Baby that these knee pads can be used for "Commando Crawling, Crawling, Toddling, Walking, Running, Bike Riding, Ball Sports, and Playground Activities" and I immediately thought of my two accident-prone kids. As the weather warms up and we will be outside working on our bike riding skills, I knew that these would be perfect to protect not only their knees but their elbows as well.

Pulling these out, I found that the soft, durable (and machine washable!) material felt extremely comfortable and that by using the Velcro straps they were easily adjusted to any size (they are made to fit from 4+ months to 4+ years). Both Big Sister E and Little Sister B were clamoring to try them on immediately!

Available in four different colors, these knee pads have held up very well already as my girls have done their fair share of running and sliding around on them. The non-slip traction has proven to be a great addition to the design and the all-over flexibility and movement that these provide shows just how much thought Snazzy Baby put into making them a great investment for babies all the way through childhood.

Moving on to the My Baby's Own Deluxe Travel Chair, I took one look at it and knew that it had Little Sister B's name written all over it. This compact, multi-use temporary child restraint is just the type of product that we need for any number of situations and locations where her squirming and resistance to sitting still have made things difficult.

As I looked over the Travel Chair, right away it was obvious that this was an extremely intuitive and easy-to-use product. The entire thing is one continuous piece of fabric that unfolds out of its pouch and quickly attaches to any chair, whether in a restaurant, your home or while visiting a friend who doesn't have a high chair or booster seat.

Considering that this works for children who are independent sitters all the way up to 37 pounds, has a non-slip bottom to help keep kids upright, only requires the use of four easy-to-secure buckles and has helpful instructions printed right inside just in case you need them, it is just the thing to keep handy for just about any outing. Putting Little Sister B in was a snap (she actually got a big kick out of strapping herself in) and, once settled, she loved her special chair!

Along with being connected to a chair, the My Baby's Own Deluxe Travel Chair can also be attached to a shopping cart to keep kids secure while at the store. Or you can even fasten it to your own body for hands-free holding, feeding or safety during the cruising portion of an airplane flight.

What versatility! This would have been perfect to use when we traveled internationally with Big Sister E when she was 22 months old as it would have kept her securely attached to me during the plane ride but also could have been brought to all of the various locations that didn't have an appropriate seat for her when we arrived.

A combination of a baby carrier (for both inward and outward facing) and a travel chair, the Combo Carrier has been created to ease some strain out of the busy parent's lifestyle. For use with children from 4 months up to 3+ years, this ergonomically designed product is extremely comfortable for both the adult and the child and, with its color-coded buckles, is fast and convenient to use.

I appreciated that Snazzy Baby had again included the instructions right on the inside as an easy reference and by having the green-matches-to-green and blue-matches-to-blue on the buckles, this carrier wasn't hard to put on at all. Plus, with the addition of the multiple storage compartments on the front and the gel based shoulder strap (probably the softest strap I've ever encountered), using the 3 in 1 Combo Carrier for extended amounts of time is no problem at all.

I was pleased to find that getting this carrier on and getting Little Sister B situated wasn't difficult at all. In fact, it simply involved strapping it around my waist, placing her in (when I was putting it on myself I sat down in a chair), connecting the buckles and then placing the shoulder strap over my head.

I've used plenty of other carriers that required an extra person to help, so it was great to know that I could use this one on my own without any problems. As for Little Sister B, whether she has been hanging out on my hip or that of my husband, she loves being able to ride along next to us and always has a big grin in doing so.

The very first time that Little Sister B sat in the Combo Carrier she declared it "Comfy! Comfy!" and I agreed with her. I can see how easy this would be to use with younger children, especially as they can face in or out, and the fact that Snazzy Baby has taken extra steps to ensure everything from the child's even weight distribution to meeting or exceeding safety standards just makes it even easier to have peace of mind when using it.

But this product does more than just act as a baby carrier, it can also transform easily into its own travel chair or child restraint (great for in a shopping cart) with a few simple adjustments to the straps. There is even a separate strap included (in the storage pocket) that is quickly clipped on to make sure the carrier is completely secure when hooked onto a chair.

In just a few motions I was able to transfer Little Sister B from riding to sitting... and she thought it was hilarious!

One more added bonus to the 3 in 1 Combo Carrier? It comes with a free pair of My Baby's Leg Warmers, a fun and funky way to protect little legs (or arms) indoors or outdoors. Just pull these brightly-colored, lightweight, one-size-fits-all leg warmers on whenever and wherever for kids of all ages!

As a whole, I've found all three of these products to have lived up to Snazzy Baby's claims. They are not only versatile and convenient to have, but the focus on safety is something that any parent can appreciate with their child, no matter what the age.

The prices are comparable to other baby gear on the market ($19.99 for the Knee Pads, $34.99 for the Travel Chair and $79.99 for the 3 in 1 Combo Carrier) but being able to use these for an extended period of time, not to mention the variety of different ways, does add extra value to each one. A new parent could begin utilizing any of the three from when their child is only a few months old and continue for years to come!

Thanks to the generosity of Snazzy Baby, one person will be able to experience the quality, safety and innovation that these products can provide as well, because...

One lucky person will win their choice of a Deluxe 3 in 1 Combo Carrier, My Baby's Own Deluxe Travel Chair or Knee Pads from Snazzy Baby!

To enter to win: Visit Snazzy Baby and tell me the product that you would most like to own AND one of the awards that particular product has won.

Extra Entries (available after the mandatory entry above is completed; please leave a separate comment for each entry in order for them to be counted).

1 Extra Entry (per method) if you follow Snazzy Baby on Twitter and/or Like them on Facebook.1 Extra Entry (per giveaway entered) - Enter any (or all) of the giveaways running on Thanks, Mail Carrier for the duration of this giveaway.1 Extra Entry if you follow me on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway by copying and pasting the tweet below and leaving me the link. Tweet daily for an extra entry every day!

2 Extra Entries (per follow method) if you follow me publicly with Google Friend Connect, subscribe to my RSS feed, subscribe to Thanks, Mail Carrier by email or become a fan on Facebook.3 Extra Entries if you put my cute button up on your blog. Please leave an address where it can be found.3 Extra Entries if you blog about this giveaway linking back to this post. Please leave an address where it can be found.

Giveaway will end on March 18th at 11:59pm CST. Do me the favor of leaving an email address or making absolutely sure it is visible in your profile, I have to have a way to contact the winner. The winner will be chosen by random.org and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to contact me or respond to notification or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is open to U.S. residents only.

A big thank you to Snazzy Baby for providing their products for me as well as the item of choice for one lucky giveaway winner. The opinions shared are my own and honest and if you really need to see more, click here to see how I roll.